Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones to play pivotal leadership roles for Indiana – on and off the field

On Indiana’s 2025 national championship roster, several leaders were crucial inside the locker room, out on the practice field and during the 16-game season. Pat Coogan, Elijah Sarratt, Riley Nowakowski, Mikail Kamara, D’Angelo Ponds, Fernando Mendoza – just to name a few.

All will not be a part of the Hoosiers’ title defense in 2026, but the most important absence at all might be Aiden Fisher – Indiana’s unofficcial captain, and quite possibly the mouthpiece for Curt Cignetti’s vision that allowed IU to become undefeated national champions in year two of his tenure.

Arriving after two seasons under Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines at James Madison, Fisher helped bridge the gap between the former JMU players, transfers from elsewhere, and those returning under the previous staff at IU.

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Off the field, Fisher was a vocal leader that others learned on to build team chemistry. On the field, he wore the defensive green dot that allowed him to relay signals from the coaching staff to the rest of those on the defense – literaly the mouthpiece between the coaching staff and players.

But in 2026, Fisher won’t be there. His presence on and off the field will need to be replaced, and luckily for Indiana, it has two linebackers ready to fill the void.

Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy both formed a three-headed monster with Fisher at the linebacker position, but now are the two leaders – not only at the position, but among the whole defense and entire roster.

“With Fish gone, me and Isaiah are gonna have to lead the room, lead the defense” Hardy said after practice on Thursday. “Just being more vocal. And then playing-wise, just making more plays.Knowing the system.”

Both of Hardy’s collegiate seasons have been under Cignetti at Indiana, with linebacker’s role dramatically increasing from his freshman to sophomore campaign. He understands what the “next man up” system is all about, as with Jailin Walker’s departure after the 2024 season, Hardy stepped into his role as Indiana’s weak-side linebacker.

Hardy wasn’t much of a vocal player as a freshman. He’s very soft spoken, and usually lets his play do the talking, but being a starter in 2025 saw his leadership qualities grow. Now, in 2026 with a new No. 5 jersey number, they’ll have to expand even more without Fisher playing to his left.

“He’s like the combination of having athleticism and the mind” Jones explained of Hardy.

He said that it’s rare to see a player that has incredible physical attributes, but also a razor sharp mind when it comes to learning and leading. But Jones believes that Hardy has both, which can make him an impact player but a valuable piece to mentor others on the roster.

Jones has been at Indiana since the Tom Allen days, with 2026 being his last season of college football – but his first as a projected starter ahead of the season.

In Haines’ scheme, it was very typical to find a 4-2-5 defense – four defensive lineman and five defensive backs. But that was before the 2025 season, where Jones proved to be so effective that Haines worked in many three-linebacker formations, especially during the second half of the season.

Jones’ worked his way from reserve, to productive backup, to occasional starter, to now a major leader on Indiana’s defense. With multiple coaching staffs, but just one program, Jones’ ascentiuon is a rarity in the new age of college athletics.

He plans to lead by example, not necessarily because of his journey of hard work, but due to how determination and work ethic can win games during the season.

Jones said after Thirsday’s practice that words of leadership can only go so far, and that it’s his actions that make the biggest difference. He learned from Fisher, and Jones will pay that forward to mentor the next group of linebackers – but also the entirety of Indiana’s roster.

“You can do all the hoorah and the yelling, but if you don’t go out there and practice every single play, it’s hard to follow a guy,” Jones explained.

He’s been one of the Hoosiers to lead their dynamic warm-up before practice, delivering a monologue before they break up into their positional groups. It was a role that Fisher had least season, and something that Jones calls an “honor” heading into the 2026 season.

“He’s a great guy,” Hardy explained about Jones. “It’s fun playing with him.The chemistry between me and Bones is really good.”

Jones likes to lead by spending as much time with his teammates as possible. Whether it’s going to get some food, or watching film together, Jones explained that building a bond between teammates is incredibly important to him and the program.

With other linebackers rising into roles they may not have had, Hardy and Jones will have to spearhead the position. Kaiden Turner and Jeff Utzinger are veterans who can be important role players, while PJ Nelson, Kaden McConnell and Amari Kamara are those who were on the roster last year who could possibly see the field this time around.

The linebacking corps has some experience without Fisher on the field, as the Maryland game last season saqw Fisher sidelined due to injury. Hardy and Jones had to step up, and did exactly that. One game might not sound like a lot, but some experience having to step up is better than no experience.

They could be the difference from the Hoosiers’ repeating the success from a year ago or not being able to reach that level once again. IU was skilled at every single position, but what separated it from the rest of the country was the connected nature of the roster, and the maturity seen all over the field.

“That team camaraderie and I think that’s what made the team last year special” Jones said.

Those qualities come from leadership, and it’ll be up to Hardy and Jones to make sure that Indiana can live up to expectations, even with so many key departures. Cignetti understands exactly that, but he’s not worried that his two linebackers can deliver for his team in search of another title.

“They’re going to be two leaders on our team. We’re excited about them.”

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